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| United States Patent |
5,075,496
|
|
Pugach
, et al.
|
December 24, 1991
|
Manufacture of 2,6-hydroxynaphthoic acid
Abstract
2,6-hydroxynaphthoic acid is made by reacting 2-naphthol with cesium or
rubidium hydroxide to obtain cesium or rubidium naphthoxide, and reacting
the naphthoxide with CO.sub.2 in the presence of cesium or rubidium
carbonate.
| Inventors:
|
Pugach; Joseph (Monroeville Borough, PA);
Derussy; Donald T. (Reynoldsburg, OH)
|
| Assignee:
|
Aristech Chemical Corporation (Pittsburgh, PA)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
629326 |
| Filed:
|
December 14, 1990 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
562/425 |
| Intern'l Class: |
C07C 051/15 |
| Field of Search: |
562/425
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
| 1593816 | Jul., 1926 | Andre.
| |
| 1941207 | Dec., 1933 | Harvey | 562/425.
|
| 2807643 | Sep., 1957 | Harley | 260/520.
|
| 2824892 | Feb., 1958 | Barkley | 260/521.
|
| 3655744 | Apr., 1972 | Yasuhara et al. | 260/521.
|
| 4032568 | Jun., 1977 | Quadbeck-Seeger | 562/425.
|
| 4057576 | Nov., 1977 | Bachmann et al. | 562/425.
|
| 4239913 | Dec., 1980 | Ueno et al. | 562/425.
|
| 4287357 | Sep., 1981 | Mueller et al. | 562/425.
|
| 4297508 | Oct., 1981 | Maegawa et al. | 562/425.
|
| 4329494 | May., 1982 | Montgomery | 562/425.
|
| 4345094 | Aug., 1982 | Mueller | 182/425.
|
| 4345095 | Aug., 1982 | Mueller | 562/425.
|
| 4508920 | Apr., 1985 | Stopp et al. | 562/423.
|
| 4618701 | Oct., 1986 | Neeb et al. | 560/139.
|
| 4780567 | Oct., 1988 | Ueno | 562/425.
|
| 4966992 | Oct., 1990 | Ueno | 562/425.
|
| 5011984 | Apr., 1991 | Ueno | 562/425.
|
| Foreign Patent Documents |
| 1185264 | Apr., 1985 | CA.
| |
| 1190245 | Jul., 1985 | CA.
| |
| 327221 | Sep., 1989 | EP.
| |
| 1316343 | Feb., 1989 | JP.
| |
Primary Examiner: Killos; Paul J.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Krayer; William L.
Claims
We claim:
1. Method of making 2,6-hydroxynaphthoic acid comprising (a) reacting
2-naphthol with a hydroxide of an alkali metal selected from the group
consisting of cesium and rubidium to obtain an alkali metal naphthoxide,
(b) drying the resulting alkali metal naphthoxide, and (c) reacting the
alkali metal naphthoxide with carbon dioxide at a pressure of about 20 to
about 100 psig in the presence of a high boiling hydrocarbon solvent and a
carbonate of an alkali metal selected from the group consisting of cesium
and rubidium.
2. Method of claim 1 wherein the alkali metal carbonate in step (c) is
present in an amount from about 5 to about 60% of the alkali metal
naphthoxide.
3. Method of claim 1 wherein the solvent in step (c) is selected from
linear and cyclic hydrocarbons having from about 10 to about 25 carbon
atoms.
4. Method of claim 1 wherein the alkali metal in steps (a) and (c) is
cesium.
5. Method of claim 1 wherein the alkali metal in steps (a) and (c) is
rubidium.
6. Method of claim 1, wherein the pressure in step (c) is about 20 to about
100 psig.
7. Method of claim 1 wherein the solvent is hexadecane.
8. Method of claim 1 followed by the step of separating
2,6-hydroxynaphthoic acid from the reaction mixture.
9. Method of claim 1 wherein step (c) is conducted at a temperature between
about 220.degree. C. and about 300.degree. C.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to the production of 2,6-hydroxynaphthoic acid
(2,6-HNA) beginning with 2-naphthol. In particular, it relates to the use
of cesium or rubidium to replace the hydroxyl proton of the 2-naphthol and
then reacting the cesium or rubidium naphthoxide with carbon dioxide in
the presence of cesium or rubidium carbonate. Preferred conditions include
recommended solvents and pressure ranges.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Prior to the present invention it has been known to convert 2-naphthol to
2,3-hydroxynaphthoic acid (2,3-HNA) by reacting the 2-naphthol with sodium
hydroxide and then carboxylating the resulting sodium naphthoxide with
carbon dioxide. It has also been known that the carboxylation tends to
shift to the 6-position if potassium is used instead of sodium.
Temperatures also appear to affect the formation of 2,6-HNA as opposed to
2,3-HNA.
After carboxylation, the proton at the carboxylation site is lost and is
picked up by a second 2-naphthoxide molecule. Thus, for every mole of
product formed, a mole of starting material is formed. This means the best
possible conversion is 50%. Addition of potassium carbonate during the
second step improves conversion. The products 2,6-HNA, 2,3-HNA and
2-naphthol can be separated by modifying the pH of an aqueous solution
containing the three. Typically, 2,6-HNA can be isolated in this manner
with 97-99% purity, with 2,3-HNA being the major impurity. It is important
to adjust pH precisely and accurately as this can affect the yield and
purity of the desired product.
The patent literature contains two processes for the carboxylation of
potassium 2-naphthoxide. In one process, a flow of carbon dioxide is
passed continuously through the apparatus during carboxylation, claiming a
higher yield than in the process without continuous CO.sub.2 flow.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
We have found that surprisingly improved results toward, particularly,
conversion to 2,6-HNA are achieved in a cesium or rubidium system as
compared to a potassium system. Our process for the manufacture of 2,6-HNA
involves the reaction of 2-naphthol with cesium or rubidium hydroxide to
form cesium or rubidium naphthoxide, and reacting the cesium or rubidium
naphthoxide with carbon dioxide in the presence of cesium or rubidium
carbonate, at a temperature of about 220.degree. to about 300.degree. C.,
a pressure of about 20 to about 100 psig, and in a solvent (carrier)
medium of a high boiling hydrocarbon, i.e. a linear or cyclic hydrocarbon
having about 10 to about 25 carbon atoms.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
We have found that a dramatic increase in yield of 2,6-HNA can be obtained
with our process as compared to processes of the prior art. Selectivities
in particular are considerably improved as compared to analogous potassium
reactions which our investigations indicated were representative of the
best prior art.
Our invention comprises a three-step process:
(1) 2-naphthol is neutralized with cesium or rubidium hydroxide;
(2) the resulting cesium or rubidium naphthoxide product is dried by any
convenient method; and
(3) the cesium or rubidium naphthoxide is reacted with carbon dioxide in
the presence of about 5 to about 60% cesium or rubidium carbonate at
temperatures in the range about 220.degree. to about 300.degree. C. and
pressures about 20 to about 100 psig in a suitable carrier, for a period
of about 4 to about 10 hours.
Our invention is illustrated and compared to the prior art in the examples
below.
Table I presents results using certain variations of the prior art
potassium method. Example 8 may be taken as representative. Following is a
detailed description of example 8:
In a 300 ml autoclave was placed 2-naphthol (36.04 g, 250 mmol), 87.0%
potassium hydroxide (16.13 g, 250 mmol), potassium carbonate (17.28 g, 125
mmol), 15 ml water, and 100 ml tetradecane. The mixture was stirred at
room temperature under a slow purge of argon for 1 hour before heating to
250.degree. C. and holding at that temperature for 3 hours, at which time
ca. 21 ml water and 5 ml tetradecane had been collected in a knock-out
pot. After heating to 265.degree. C., the autoclave was charged with 45
psi carbon dioxide with a flow of 250 ml per minute. Conditions were
maintained for 6 hours before depressurizing and cooling to room
temperature. The contents of the autoclave were transferred to an
erlenmeyer flask and water added until a total volume of ca. 550 ml
existed. The reaction mixture was heated at 80.degree.-90.degree. C. for
30 minutes and the organic layer containing 2-naphthol removed. The
aqueous layer was acidified to pH 7.0 via addition of 1M H.sub.2 SO.sub.4
and extracted twice with 350 ml toluene at 80.degree. C. The aqueous phase
was cooled to room temperature and further acidified to pH 4.0 by addition
of 1M H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 at which time the 2,6-HNA precipitate was collected
by filtration, washed with water and dried. There was isolated 11.84 g
(25%) of a tan solid which was 97.6% 2,6-HNA, 2.4% 2,3-HNA by G. C.
analysis of the material after silylation with
N,N-bis(trimethylsilyl)acetamide. The melting point was about
240.degree.-248.degree. C. Further acidification of the filtrate to pH 2.0
with 1M H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 gave 1.4 g (3%) of a yellow solid which was
86.3%, 2,3-HNA, 13.7% 2,6-HNA by G. C. analysis. The combined organic
phases were extracted with 5% NaOH (3.times.100 ml) and the combined
aqueous extracts acidified to a pH less than 2 by addition of 3M HCl.
Filtration, a water wash, and drying gave 21.90 g (61%) of recovered
2-naphthol.
Variations from the example 8 procedure, such as the amount of potassium
carbonate, the solvent, time of reaction and pressure, are shown in Table
I.
TABLE I
__________________________________________________________________________
2,6-HNA Production Using Potassium Cation (Prior Art)
Selectivity
Special Conver-
(2,6-HNA,
No.
Conditions
Solvent
Time
Temp
Press
sion 2,3-HNA)
__________________________________________________________________________
1. 10% K.sub.2 CO.sub.3
IPN.sup.1
6 h
260.degree. C.
42 psi
46% 37%, 13%
2. 50% K.sub.2 CO.sub.3
IPN.sup.1
6 h
265.degree. C.
45 psi
38% 58%, 13%
3. 10% K.sub.2 CO.sub.3
IPN.sup.1
8 h
265.degree. C.
45 psi
39% 56%, 18%
4. 50% K.sub.2 CO.sub.3
Kero-
6 h
265.degree. C.
45 psi
28% 57%, 14%
sene
5. 50% K.sub.2 CO.sub.3
Kero-
6 h
265.degree. C.
45 psi
32% 56%, 12%
sene
6. 10% K.sub.2 CO.sub.3
Kero-
6 h
265.degree. C.
55 psi
42% 40%, 12%
sene
7. 10% K.sub.2 CO.sub.3
TMPI.sup.2
6 h
265.degree. C.
60-75
45% 44%, 27%
psi
8. 50% K.sub.2 CO.sub.3
Tetra-
6 h
265.degree. C.
45 psi
39% 64%.sup.3, 8%
decane
9. 10% K.sub.2 CO.sub.3
Tetra-
22 h
265.degree. C.
45 psi
51% 53%.sup.4, 4%
decane
10.
10% K.sub.2 CO.sub.3
Tetra-
8 h
265.degree. C.
55 psi
45% 58%.sup.5, 9%
decane
10% K.sub.2 CO.sub.3
Hexa-
8 h
265.degree. C.
65 psi
40% 50%.sup.6, 12%
decane
__________________________________________________________________________
.sup.1 Isopropylnaphthalene
.sup.2 Trimethylphenylindane
.sup.3 97.6% pure
.sup.4 98.1% pure
.sup.5 97.6% pure
.sup.6 96.2% pure
Results of the following examples 12-18 illustrate the improvements
obtained by using the cesium or rubidium of our invention, and are shown
in Table II.
Cesium Method (Table II, example 12)
Using 2-naphthol (36.04 g, 250 mmol), 74.96 g of 50 wt% aqueous cesium
hydroxide (250 mmol), cesium carbonate (8.14 g, 25 mmol) and 95 ml
hexadecane gave 16.72 g (36%) 2,6-HNA (G. C. analysis 98.5% 2,6-HNA, 1.5%
2,3-HNA), 1.90 g (4%) 2,3-HNA (G. C. analysis 95.5% 2,3-HNA, 4.5% 2,6-HNA)
and 19.09 g (53%) recovered 2-naphthol.
Cesium Method (Table II, Example 13)
Using 2-naphthol (36.04 g, 250 mmol), 74.96 g of 50 wt% aqueous cesium
hydroxide (250 mmol), cesium carbonate (8.14 g, 25 mmol) and 95 ml
hexadecane gave 17.53 g (37%) 2,6-HNA (G. C. analysis 98.0% 2,6-HNA, 2.0%
2,3-HNA), 1.90 g (4%) 2,3-HNA (G. C. analysis 88.1%, 2,3-HNA, 11.9%
2,6-HNA) and 16.51 g (46%) recovered 2-naphthol.
Cesium Method (Table II, example 14)
Using 2-naphthol (36.04 g, 250 mmol), 74.96 g of 50 wt% aqueous cesium
hydroxide (250 mmol), cesium carbonate (8.14 g, 25 mmol), 95 ml hexadecane
and a carbon dioxide pressure of 55 psi gave 16.27 g (35%) 2,6-HNA, 1.84 g
(4%) 2,3-HNA, both having a similar purity as above and 19.46 g (54%)
recovered 2-naphthol.
Cesium Method (Table II, example 15)
Using 2-naphthol (36.04 g, 250 mmol), 74.96 g of 50 wt% aqueous cesium
hydroxide (250 mmol), cesium carbonate (8.14 g, 25 mmol), 95 ml hexadecane
and a carbon dioxide pressure of 85 psi gave 18.21 g (39%) 2,6-HNA (G. C.
analysis 98.8% 2,6-HNA, 1.2% 2,3-HNA), 3.59 g (8%) 2,3-HNA (G. C. analysis
78.0% 2,3-HNA, 12.0% 2,6-HNA) and 15.73 g (44%) recovered 2-naphthol.
Cesium Method Excluding Cesium Carbonate (Table II, example 16)
Processing 2-naphthol (36.04 g, 250 mmol), 74.96 g of 50 wt% aqueous cesium
hydroxide (250 mmol), and 95 ml hexadecane yielded 11.23 g (24%) 2,6-HNA
(G. C. analysis 97.4% 2,6-HNA, 2.6% 2,3-HNA), 2.07 g (4%) 2,3-HNA (G. C.
analysis 87.5% 2,3-HNA, 12.5% 2,6-HNA) and 23.10 g (64%) recovered
2-naphthol.
Mixture 90% Potassium and 10% Cesium (Table II, example 17)
With 2-naphthol (36.04 g, 250 mmol), 7.50 g of 50 wt% aqueous cesium
hydroxide (25 mmol), 87.9% potassium hydroxide (14.02 g, 225 mmol),
potassium carbonate (3.46 g, 25 mmol), 15 ml water, and 95 ml hexadecane,
the usual reaction produced 10.66 g (23%) 2,6-HNA (G. C. analysis 96.6%
2,6-HNA, 3.4% 2,3-HNA), 3.00 g (6%) 2,3-HNA (G. C. analysis 84.6%,
2,3-HNA, 15.4% 2,6-HNA) and 19.13 g (53%) recovered 2-naphthol.
Rubidium Method (Table II, example 18)
Using 2-naphthol (36.04 g, 250 mmol), 51.24 g of 50 wt% aqueous rubidium
hydroxide (250 mmol), rubidium carbonate (5.77 g, 25 mmol) and 95 ml
hexadecane, there was obtained 16.53 g (35%) 2,6-HNA, 1.82 g (4%) 2,3-HNA,
both having a similar purity as above and 20.98 g (58%) recovered
2-naphthol.
TABLE II
__________________________________________________________________________
2,6-HNA Production Using Cesium.sup.1 or Rubidium Cation.sup.2
Selectivity
Special Conver-
(2,6-HNA,
No.
Conditions
Solvent
Time
Temp
Press
sion 2,3-HNA)
__________________________________________________________________________
10% Hexa-
6 h
265.degree. C.
45 psi
47% 76%.sup.3, 8%
Cs.sub.2 CO.sub.3
decane
10% Hexa-
6 h
265.degree. C.
45 psi
54% 68%.sup.4, 7%
Cs.sub.2 CO.sub.3
decane
10% Hexa-
6 h
265.degree. C.
55 psi
46% 76%, 9%
Cs.sub.2 CO.sub.3
decane
10% Hexa-
6 h
265.degree. C.
85 psi
56% 70%, 14%
Cs.sub.2 CO.sub.3
decane
no Hexa-
6 h
265.degree. C.
45 psi
36% 67%, 11%
Cs.sub.2 CO.sub.3
decane
90% K.sup.+,
Hexa-
6 h
265.degree. C.
45 psi
47% 49%, 13%
10% Cs+
decane
10% Hexa-
6 h
265.degree. C.
45 psi
42% 83%, 10%
Rb.sub.2 CO.sub.3
decane
__________________________________________________________________________
.sup. 1 Examples 12-17.
.sup.2 Example 18.
.sup.3 98.5% pure
.sup.4 98.0% pure
As can be seen, the 2,6-HNA selectivity was much improved with cesium over
the analogous potassium reaction, accompanied by a small increase in
conversion (compare Table I, example 8 with Table II, example 12). The
result was an approximate 44% increase in isolated yield of 2,6-HNA.
A few variables were tested with the cesium examples. First, an increase in
carbon dioxide pressure to 85 psi doubled 2,3-HNA selectivity (compare
example 15 with examples 12 and 13). Next, a reaction excluding cesium
carbonate gave conversion and selectivity numbers similar to the potassium
reactions. The presence of cesium or rubidium carbonate appears to be
essential (in the range of about 5% to about 60% of the naphthol salt) for
maximized conversion and selectivity. The possibility that only a small
amount of cesium would give increased conversion and selectivity was
dispelled in example 17. As can be seen in example 18, an increase in
conversion and the best selectivity was found with rubidium.
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